If you listen to true crime podcasts, you may be familiar with the show True Crime Obsessed. The two hosts, Gillian Pensavale and Patrick Hinds watch documentaries and then talk about them. The show blew up in popularity and expanded to create a network including other shows like Strange & Unexplained with Daisy Eagan, and Crimes of the Century with Amber Hunt.
Breaking: Employees of the podcasting company Obsessed Network claim toxic work place. https://t.co/yFQkIp2R69 pic.twitter.com/kMGaCIGH15
— James Renner (@JamesRenner) October 3, 2023
However rumors have swirled about things going on behind the scenes. Ellyn Marsh and Joey Taranto, the hosts of a previous show on the network, I Think Not (formerly Obsessed with Disappeared) left, and the rumor mill said it was because Hinds was growing jealous of the success of the OWD hosts, one of whom he had been good friends with.
Recently, an article has come out with claims by both current and former employees of the network alleging that the bubbly and fun personas from Pensavale and Hinds in particular are masks that hide some incredibly toxic, misogyinstic and racist behavior.
some highlights from the article include
*Patrick Hinds is a tyrant and throws tantrums if things aren’t done exactly to his particular liking and constantly micromanages employees
*Hinds reprimanded a female employee for not smiling during a meeting and is allegedly much harsher in his criticism of female employees, as well as making repeatedly disparaging comments about lesbians
*Hinds told his former friend and co-host Ellyn Marsh during an argument: “I wouldn’t care if your child was threatened, I’d never take your side!”
*When one host pitched a new show based on a story from South Africa, Hinds’ allegedly responded, “I’m just not interested in that, sorry, I don’t know why. Is it because they’re black?” Employees have also pointed out that despite what Hinds and Pensavale preach about diversity, there were no people of color employeed by the network and when asked about this, Hinds dismissed it and said he was a gay man and knew well what it was like to be a member of a minority group.
I recommend reading the full article because a summary cannot really cover all of the absolute garbage behavior outlined in the article.
I also was a member of the FB group for the podcast and posted screenshots to reddit of a meltdown he had in 2019 over another black member calling the group out for allowing subtle racism and not having any black mods.
After last week’s article on toxic work conditions at Obsessed Network, readers are finding a history of Patrick Hinds poor reactions to people of color online: https://t.co/ISuDQso2Q8
— James Renner (@JamesRenner) October 9, 2023
